Story Time
by Laurelin M. Estel
Summary: A one-shot featuring Maglor and an OC, be nice, it's my first fic. Sorry for any mistakes!


Story Time

The man was wearing tattered, worn clothes, his jet black hair was tangled and long, reaching the middle of his lower back. His face was ethereally beautiful but pale. His eyes were the most striking thing about his appearance. They were silver, not grey, but silver, and they were haunted and sad eyes, eyes that had seen far to much. They saw nothing but the crashing of the waves, the man seemed not to notice the presence of curious fishermen's children. He carried a harp, and he sang haunting melodies that they could not understand, only that they were sad songs. The children came back day after day to listen to him, his voice was fair beyond imagining and sweet, and Gwenivere would have liked to hear him sing something other than laments. She was entranced and captivated by this sad wanderer, what had happened to him to make him this way? One day the children stopped coming, for they grew bored of the strange man. Save for Gwenivere, she cautiously approached him, she hesitated when she was directly behind him. His song died and there was silence for a few minutes. "Would you like to hear a story girl?" asked the softest and most beautiful, musical voice she had ever heard. She though for a moment, he was a stranger, a male stranger for that matter, but she wanted to hear a story. "Yes." she replied, he did not turn to look at her. "Once there was a happy family, a mother, a father, and seven sons. They all had their own attributes or flaws. The mother was too wise for her own good, the father was selfish and the best jewel smith ever to live, the first son was tall and just, the second was a bard and truthful, the third was fair and vain, the fourth son was dark and fell, the fifth was a smith and cared for naught else. The last two were fine hunters, but were naïve. One day their father drew sword upon his brother, and for it he was banished with his sons from his home, the mother dissolved their vows and went back to her family, she did not care at all for her sons. One day the father was summoned to the capital to go to a festival, and his sons went with him, whilst he was there his father was slain by the Evil One upon his own doorstep and the greatest of the father's works were seized. The father flew into a rage and he with his seven sons swore an oath to reclaim these works and slay anyone and everyone who withheld them from them. They left their homeland to make war upon the Evil One's lands. The remaining family and their followers, as well as the father's two brother's families. The father's youngest brother turned back with half of his followers. The rest of the host went to a nearby harbor and demanded that they be allowed to use their swan boats, the people of the harbor refused, and the host of the father and his remaining brother slew the people of the harbor, men, women, and children, the host slew their own kin. The blue waters were stained pink with the innocent blood spilt that day. The followers of the father and the seven sons boarded the ships and sailed away, leaving the followers and family of the father's brother behind. Betraying them." the man spit the word out. "When they reached the lands of the Evil One, they burned the ships, only the eldest son stood aside, for he had great love for the eldest son of his uncle and thought ill of kin betraying kin. The other sons followed their father's orders without question, they were stupid, they were blind to the fact that their father would care naught if they all perished on this foolish quest for his jewels. For you see, the father had gone mad with hatred. When they marched upon the Evil One's land, the father was slain in the first battle, but he made his sons swear to continue the quest, and the foolish sons did. Soon after that the eldest son was taken captive and tortured by the Evil One. The brothers despaired that they could do nothing." the man's sweet voice faltered and he fell silent once more.

Gwenivere stared at his back more closely, she examined the hand she could see. Upon his second finger was a ring with a seal upon it. He moved before she could examine it closer. "The sons' uncle and his followers arrived from across the ice, and their uncle's eldest son, who was valiant, rescued the eldest brother from torment, thus healing the family rift. But the brothers were bound to their oath. There were many battles against the Evil One, and in one of them, the eldest of their uncle's sons was slain. The eldest brother was so grieved that he nearly died, he became fell and ill-tempered. News reached the brothers that one of the treasures was being held in a woodland kingdom, and the brothers attacked. The third, fourth, and fifth brothers were slain, and the remaining brothers still did not gain the treasure. They received news that the treasure was now held at the refuge by the sea, and again they attacked. The two youngest brothers were slain, and still, the two remaining brothers did not gain the treasure, thrice had they slain their own kin, thrice were they cursed. Some years later news reached the two brothers that the two remaining treasures were held in an ally's camp. They took council together, and they snuck into the camp, they slew the guards and seized the two treasures. The treasures burned their hands, and the eldest brother, being in despair and anguish, cast himself with the jewel into a fiery chasm. The last brother cast the remaining jewel into the sea, and he lives on yet, assumed dead by all of his people…the end." the beautiful, sad man finished. He slung his harp over his shoulder and began to walk away, but Gwenivere ran after him. "Wait!" she called, seizing his hand. She let go with a gasp, his entire palm was horribly scarred and burnt. She met his haunted silver eyes and understood. The last brother stood before her. "What is your name?" she called to him as he turned away once more. "I am the forsaken."


End file.
